Together We Climb (A Community-Driven Approach to Break the Cycle of Poverty and Build Prosperity)

If America is the wealthiest country in the world, why are so many people living in poverty and missing out on the promise of the American Dream?

Poverty is America’s number-one social problem, and while we spend $1.75 trillion every year trying to solve it, much of that effort falls short.

Together We Climb challenges the way we understand poverty—not as a personal failure, but as a complex climb shaped by broken systems, disconnected supports, and unclear pathways. Dr. Steven C. Taylor and Jason Janz draw on decades of leadership in education, workforce development and reform, and community transformation to reveal what’s keeping people stuck and what actually helps them move forward.

At the heart of the book are two field-tested frameworks. The Mountain Model maps the four steps of the climb from poverty to prosperity—showing where people get stuck and why. The Navigation Approach provides the solution: a relational strategy built on proximity, possibility, and pathways toward true human flourishing—economic, relational, and spiritual.

This book is for anyone frustrated by insufficient and fragmented responses—policymakers, nonprofit leaders, employers, philanthropists, and neighbors alike. Together We Climb shows how we can reignite the American Dream—for everyone.